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Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca commented the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is crucial for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite attention from Manchester United, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, notably in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront broader problems apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not expected return from a groin injury until the winter.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.

After 13 matches in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last season."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this term.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans feel the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A central player and defender are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.

But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a digit that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."